The Effects Of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation Applied in the Early Postpartum Period After Cesarean Birth on Healing, Pain, and Comfort.

INTRODUCTION: This study was conducted to determine the effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) applied in the early postpartum period after cesarean birth on incision site healing, postoperative recovery, pain, and comfort. METHODS: This randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted with 138 women (TENS group n = 46, placebo group n = 46, control group n = 46) who gave birth by cesarean between January and September 2023. TENS was applied twice at a frequency of 100 Hz with a pulse width of 100 microseconds, at 10 to 12 and 14 to 16 hours after birth, for 30 minutes each. Outcomes were measured with the Postoperative Recovery Index; Redness, Edema, Ecchymosis, Discharge, and Approximation Scale; Visual Analogue Scale; and Postpartum Comfort Questionnaire. Outcomes between groups were compared postintervention, correcting for baseline using analysis of covariance. The study was registered at www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov (NCT05991921). RESULTS: Mean scores for postoperative recovery were significantly lower (improved) in the TENS group (113.58) compared with the placebo and control groups (134.67, 136.61; P < .001). The postoperative recovery subscales (psychological symptoms, physical activities, appetite symptoms, bowel symptoms, general symptoms) were also significantly decreased in the TENS group compared with the placebo and control groups. Similarly, mean scores for postpartum comfort, and the corresponding physical comfort, psychospiritual comfort, and sociocultural comfort subscales, were significantly improved in the TENS group (110.26) compared with the placebo and control group (83.80, 81.19; P < .05). DISCUSSION: TENS application can be preferred as an alternative method to increase pain control, recovery, and patient comfort after cesarean birth.

The trends and hotspots of research on non-pharmacological interventions for labor pain management: a bibliometric analysis.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to examine important points of focus, trends, and depth of research on non-pharmacological interventions for the management of labor pain worldwide from a macro perspective and present an extensive definition of research fields regarding non-pharmacological interventions. METHODS: Bibliometric methods were used in this study. With comprehensive keyword lists, the Web of Science and PubMed databases were searched using different screening strategies for publications made until 25 February 2023. RESULTS: Studies on non-pharmacological interventions in the management of labor pain have continued to develop since 2003 with great momentum. In this study, the most productive country in research on non-pharmacological interventions was found to be Iran, while Australia, the USA, China, and the United Kingdom were the most notable ones in terms of collaboration. The most prevalently studied non-pharmacological interventions were hydrotherapy and acupuncture. The results of the co-word analysis revealed 5 main themes about this field of research. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that interest in studies on non-pharmacological interventions in the management of labor pain has increased, the quality of research in the field is high, international collaboration is increasingly higher, and technological approaches have started to emerge in relevant studies.

Bibliometrics and Visual Analysis of the Research Status and Trends of Breastfeeding in Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: The long- and short-term benefits of breastfeeding for mothers and infants are known, and the number of studies on this subject is increasing daily. This study aimed to reveal current research trends, hotspots, and future frontiers in research on breastfeeding in Turkey. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The most productive institutions, influential authors, the journals with the most publications by the authors, core research teams, and keywords in Turkey in the field of breastfeeding were analyzed using bibliometric methods. Additionally, breastfeeding-related articles published in the Web of Science Core Collection between 1980 and 2022 were scanned. The collected data were analyzed with the R Bibliometrix package program and VOSviewer. RESULTS: It was determined that research on breastfeeding has accelerated since 2004, and the number of citations has increased with the number of publications. The fields of most produc- tive writers in the area were found as social pediatrics, and the most influential institutions were Istanbul University and Hacettepe University. It was determined that there was no specializa- tion in research on breastfeeding among authors distributed based on their productivity. The results also revealed the most influential articles and journals. The word analysis revealed that the breastfeeding literature in Turkey is sensitive to current developments, whereas the current status of breastfeeding, the factors affecting breastfeeding, and the effects of breastfeeding are the top areas of research. It was observed that maternal attachment and coronavirus dis- ease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic-related issues have been studied more in recent years. CONCLUSION: This bibliometric analysis contributes to understanding the current status and development of breastfeeding research in Turkey.

Mapping Publication Status and Exploring Hotspots in a Research Field: Breastfeeding.

BACKGROUND: Breastfeeding has been the subject of scientific studies for many years. Identifying the current trends and hotspots in breastfeeding research can further advance understanding in the field. RESEARCH AIM: This study aimed to review the basic and conceptual structure of the literature on breastfeeding from a macro perspective. METHODS: The dataset for this study included 8,509 articles published between 1980 and 2022 accessed through the Web of Science database. Bibliometric methods were used to assess the growth direction of the literature on breastfeeding, the publication performance by country, influential journals and articles, co-citation networks, and keywords. RESULTS: Research on breastfeeding developed slowly until the 2000s, at which point the speed of growth increased. The United States was the country in which most of the breastfeeding research was produced as well as being at the center of international collaborative networks. An examination of author productivity established that there was no specialization in breastfeeding. The results of citation and keyword analyses demonstrated that the literature on breastfeeding is sensitive to current developments, and the psychological aspects of breastfeeding have been intensively discussed, especially in recent years. Moreover, our results demonstrate that breastfeeding support programs are a distinct area if interest. Despite the abundance of research available, more studies are needed for specialization in this field. CONCLUSION: This broad overview of the field of breastfeeding research can inform the direction and advancement of the literature.

The effect of an attachment-based intervention program on attachment, expectation, and stress in pregnant women: A randomized controlled study.

AIM: This study aimed to determine the effect of an attachment-based intervention program (ABIP) on attachment, prenatal expectation and stress levels in pregnant women. METHODS: This randomized controlled study was conducted in the pregnant outpatient clinics of a public hospital in Turkey. The study sample consisted of a total of 154 pregnant women (77 experimental, 77 control) at 28-38 weeks of gestation. The ABIP was applied to the pregnant women in the experimental group for 5-7 days. The ABIP included five interventions: (1) perceiving/counting fetal movements; (2) music therapy; (3) preparation for the baby; (4) writing notes/letters to the baby; and (5) watching images of the fetus/pregnancy. RESULTS: After the ABIP, pregnant women in the experimental group had higher prenatal maternal attachment and prenatal positive expectation mean scores than those in the control group, and the difference between them was statistically significant in favor of those in the experimental group (P < .001). In addition, pregnant women in the experimental group had lower prenatal negative expectation and prenatal distress mean scores than those in the control group, and the difference between them was statistically significant in favor of those in the experimental group (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that ABIP is a unique and pioneering program to increase maternal-antenatal attachment and prenatal positive expectations and reducing prenatal negative expectations and distress through diverse interventions. However, further research is required to assess the effectiveness of ABIP on maternal-fetal attachment, prenatal maternal expectations, and prenatal distress.

Effects of prenatal breast-feeding education on postnatal breast-feeding fear in pregnant women in the COVID-19 pandemic: A randomized clinical trial.

AIM: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of prenatal breast-feeding education provided to pregnant women who experience fear of breast-feeding in the COVID-19 pandemic period. METHODS: A prospective randomized controlled trial study was conducted with 128 pregnant women (64 in the experimental group and 64 in the control group) between November 2021 and February 2022. The data were collected via the Numeric Pain Rating Scale, the Breastfeeding Motivation Scale and the Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale to assess fear, motivation and attitudes regarding breast-feeding. The pregnant women in the experimental group were provided with and education programme on 'safe breastfeeding in the COVID-19 pandemic'. The breast-feeding education included in standard care was given to the control group after pre-test data collection was completed. RESULTS: The significant differences in the mean Numeric Pain Rating Scale, Breastfeeding Motivation Scale and Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale scores of the groups were in favour of the experimental group (P < 0.05). It was determined that in the first postnatal month, in the experimental group, the numbers of women who believed that their breast-feeding was not affected by COVID-19 and the numbers of infants solely breastmilk-fed were higher compared to the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Prenatal breast-feeding education about safe breast-feeding in the COVID-19 pandemic period can reduce fears of breast-feeding and increase motivation and approving attitudes regarding breast-feeding.

The adaptation of the Well-Being in Pregnancy (WiP) Questionnaire into Turkish: validity and reliability of a questionnaire.

This study aimed to adapt the Well-Being in Pregnancy (WiP) Questionnaire into Turkish and assess the instrument's validity and reliability in pregnant women. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was applied to 500 pregnant women included in Sample I, while confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was applied to 386 pregnant women in Sample II. As a result of the EFA applied to Sample I, it was found that the 12-item WiP encompasses two factors (Positive Affect and Satisfaction subscale and Concerns subscale), and as a result of the CFA applied to Sample II, it was found that the scale has good fit indices (χ2/df = 1.990, p = .000, CFI = 0.95, GFI = 0.95, AGFI = 0.93, RMSEA = 0.04, and PCLOSE = 0.000). The Cronbach's alpha internal consistency coefficients that were obtained as a result of the reliability analyses of the scale were found as 0.72, 0.70 and 0.60 for all items of WiP, its first subscale and its second subscale, respectively. It was found that the item-total correlations of the scale varied in the range of r = 0.44-0.55 (p < .001). In the test-retest analysis, a statistically significant positive correlation was found between the total scores of the scale obtained in two different implementations (r = 0.412, p = .024). This study supported the use of WiP as a valid and reliable instrument for Turkish pregnant women. Impact StatementWhat is already known on this subject? The Well-Being in Pregnancy (WiP) Questionnaire developed in 2017 by Alderdice et al. is a measurement tool that is used to determine the positive and negative emotions of pregnant women. This questionnaire has not been translated to other languages.What do the results of this study add? The reliability and validity of the Turkish version of WiP were found to acceptable, and two subscales were identified as the Positive Affect and Satisfaction subscale and the Concerns subscale.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? This reliable and valid instrument can be used for measuring the whole spectrum of well-being rather than just poor psychological health.